The present invention relates to an apparatus for palletizing substantially cylindrical objects, comprising:
position-defining means for at least one pallet; and
a handling device for placing the rolls of can lids on the pallet.
Such an apparatus is generally known.
This known apparatus makes use of a complicated device for handling the support for the rolls of paper as well as for the objects for palletizing. Use is always made of different handling devices for these tasks.
This results in a complicated embodiment of such a handling device, while the control thereof is also complicated.
The object of the present invention is to prevent these problems associated with the prior art.
This objective is achieved in that the handling device is adapted to handle position-defining means for the cylindrical objects.
As a result of these measures it is easy for the robot generally applied in such devices to perform the diverse operations sequentially; it can after all make use of the support for placing of the holders.
The sequence applied herein comprises the steps of placing onto a pallet the strip of paper or foil unwound from the holder; and subsequently placing a number of cylindrical objects on this strip of paper, whereafter the holder for the paper can be moved to the support arranged on the other side of the pallet. It is then possible to continue with the arranging of the cylindrical objects until the holder is displaced again.
The essential point is to protect the outer objects of a layer against becoming detached from the stack, particularly when this last object is not supported by two other objects but only by one other object.
With this configuration it is possible to maintain the full width of the layers of stacked objects as the height increases.
It will be apparent that diverse winding patterns can be applied. It is particularly important here that the objects arranged at the sides be wrapped.
It is even possible to apply wrapping paper which has a width smaller than or equal to half the length of the objects, wherein for each of the rows of objects on the pallet at least two rolls of wrapping paper are arranged which can each be placed independently of each other on the holders. This provides an additional option of using wrapping patterns, whereby the layers of objects stacked on the pallet are better secured.
According to another preferred embodiment the length of the objects is less than the width of the pallet and the apparatus is adapted to place the objects in at least two rows adjacently of each other on the pallet. This embodiment provides the option of placing shorter objects, while there is also the possibility of fixing each of the series of objects mutually adjacently in another pattern by means of paper strips.
According to a particular preferred embodiment the apparatus is adapted to handle stacks of can lids combined into a unit.
Can lids are objects which must be transported in great volumes from the factory location to the location where they are fixed for instance as a base to a can or to a location where the filled can must be closed with a lid. For easy handling such can lids are packed in stacks and said stacks are palletized. The present invention is particularly applicable in such situations.
The invention also relates to a method for palletizing substantially cylindrical objects, comprising the following steps of:
carrying onto a pallet an unwound end of a strip of paper wound onto a roll;
placing a number of objects on the pallet onto the unwound end of the paper strip;
carrying the roll of paper from a support placed on one side of the pallet to a support placed on the other side of the pallet; and
repeating the latter stated steps until the pallet is loaded,
wherein the operations are performed by the same handling device.
It is pointed out here that the invention is not only relevant for this application; other cylindrical objects, and not necessarily circular cylindrical objects, can also be fixed on a pallet in this way.